Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Name

Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Legal name

Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Website

https://gsb.uct.ac.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Creation Centers (EDAHAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Entrepreneurship & Impact Business (EDAMAHAK), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK), Leadership, Management & Teamwork for Business (EDAMAHAI)

Keywords

• Social innovation education
• Entrepreneurship research
• Inclusive innovation programmes
• MBA scholarship funding
• Entrepreneurial incubation

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship operates as a specialized academic centre within UCT Graduate School of Business, focused on advancing social innovation and entrepreneurship education, research, and practice across Africa. It delivers a master's-level academic degree (MPhil in Inclusive Innovation), scholarship programmes (Bertha Scholarship Programme, FCS Scholarship for African Women), executive education, and community-based incubation through the Solution Space Philippi hub for aspiring social innovators and entrepreneurs.

Product overview

The Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship is a specialized academic centre at the UCT Graduate School of Business. Its offerings consist of educational programmes (notably the MPhil in Inclusive Innovation), scholarship initiatives (including the Bertha Scholarship Programme and the Farai Cheryl Shonhiwa Scholarship for African Women), research, and community engagement activities focused on social innovation and entrepreneurship across Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MPhil in Inclusive Innovation A master's-level academic programme housed at UCT Graduate School of Business that develops leaders who can drive inclusive and sustainable innovation across Africa. Targeted at aspiring African social innovators and entrepreneurs seeking advanced postgraduate training in inclusive innovation.
• Bertha Scholarship Programme A scholarship initiative founded by the Bertha Centre providing financial support for a cohort of new leaders across the African continent undertaking the UCT GSB full-time MBA programme.
• Farai Cheryl Shonhiwa (FCS) Scholarship for African Women A scholarship within the GSB Foundation that celebrates the legacy of Dr Farai Cheryl Shonhiwa and provides financial support to African women undertaking the full-time MBA programme, advancing social justice and inclusive leadership.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Bertha Centre scholarship programme aims to support a cohort of new leaders across the African continent

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Build Up (Build Peace 2020)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bertha Centre partnered with Build Up to co-host the Build Peace 2020 Conference virtually, bringing together a global community of peace makers. Fergus Turner, Programme Manager at the Bertha Centre, represented the centre in this collaboration focused on peace-building and social justice.
• Lucha LunakominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bertha Centre partnered with youth development lab Lucha Lunako to find practical and actionable ways to get young South Africans economically active, focusing on youth development and employment creation.
• The Business PlacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Business Place is a Cape Town-based NGO and one of two founding partners in the Philippi Village initiative that houses the Solution Space Philippi hub. The Bertha Centre is involved in this collaborative effort to create economic opportunity through active inclusion of those excluded from mainstream development.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• African Leadership University (ALU): Pan-African higher education institution with campuses in Mauritius and Rwanda focused on developing African leaders and entrepreneurs. Comparable as a regional higher education player building African leadership and entrepreneurial capacity, though not focused exclusively on social innovation.
• African Leadership Academy: South Africa-based selective secondary institution developing the next generation of African leaders. Comparable as an African-focused leadership development institution serving similar target populations of high-potential young Africans, though at the secondary education level.

Direct peers

• LSE Marshall Institute for Philanthropy and Social Entrepreneurship: London School of Economics' research and education hub on philanthropy and social innovation. Comparable as a globally recognised academic centre within a leading university dedicated to social innovation research, education, and convening.
• Acumen Academy: Acumen's education arm delivering leadership and social entrepreneurship courses to impact leaders globally. Directly comparable as a social innovation and entrepreneurship educator with scholarship and programme models serving emerging market leaders.
• Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship (Oxford Saïd Business School): Oxford University's dedicated centre for social entrepreneurship research and education. Directly comparable as a leading global business school's social innovation centre offering scholarships, programmes, and ecosystem support; provides a benchmark for institutional scale and global brand positioning.
• Global Social Benefit Institute (GSBI) at Santa Clara University: Santa Clara University's social entrepreneurship accelerator and education programme. Comparable as a university-affiliated social innovation centre combining education with incubation support for impact ventures.

Emerging players

• Amani Institute: Social innovation education provider offering programmes in Africa and internationally focused on developing social intrapreneurs and change-makers. Comparable as an emerging social entrepreneurship educator operating in Africa with similar target audiences.

Broad incumbents

• Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship: World Economic Forum-affiliated foundation advancing social entrepreneurship globally through recognition, networks, and convening. Comparable as a high-profile social entrepreneurship platform operating adjacent to academic institutions, with significantly greater global reach and resources.
• Stanford Center for Social Innovation: Stanford Graduate School of Business's social innovation hub focused on research, education, and convening. Comparable in function and structure as a social innovation centre within a top-ranked business school, though at materially greater scale and with global reach.
• INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Initiative: INSEAD's programme fostering social innovation and entrepreneurship through research and education. Comparable as a global business school offering structured social entrepreneurship education, executive programmes, and ecosystem support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/uctgsb
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTGSB
• Facebookfacebook.com/uctgsb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-cape-town
• Instagraminstagram.com/uctgsb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship